Louis Theroux’s latest documentary, Tell Them You Love Me, has shot to the top of Netflix’s global chart, after being released on the streaming service in the US.
The TV series, which is available on Sky Documentaries and NOW in the US, covers a shocking true story as it follows a teacher who had an affair with a non-speaking man with cerebral palsy and a mental age. 18 months. old boy
Louis has revealed that he came across the New Jersey story, which is based on the lives of Anna Stubblefield and Derrick Johnson, 10 years ago, but it was a “struggle” to get the film commissioned.
Professor Anna, then 39, met Derrick in 2009 after her family hoped his expertise in “facilitated communication” could help their nearly mute son, then 28, communicate using a keyboard.
Over the course of their meetings, Anna, who was married at the time, says the two fell in love and had a consensual sexual relationship.
Louis Theroux’s latest documentary, Tell Them You Love Me, has shot to the top of Netflix’s global chart, after being released on the streaming service in the US.
The television series covers a shocking true story that follows a teacher who had an affair with a non-speaking man with cerebral palsy and the mental age of an 18-month-old child.
Derrick’s family were horrified, saying he had no capacity for physical or emotional intimacy, and the extent to which he used a keyboard to communicate with her would not have been possible unless Anna was manipulating his hands.
The following court case captivated America and she was eventually found guilty of aggravated sexual assault and sentenced to 12 years, but after two years the conviction was overturned.
Luis said hisn: ‘Deep down there is a mystery: whether two people were in a Romeo and Juliet love story or whether it is a horrible crime. I think its success speaks to how powerful and emotionally complex the story is.
“You never know exactly where it will go next. It was almost ten years ago that I first came across this story. It was difficult to get the film commission.”
Louis added: “It shows that films you might consider risky, disturbing or ‘difficult’ can also be compelling and reach a large audience.”
Executive producer Arron Fellows added: “Its success demonstrates how captivated audiences are by real-life stories, even the most sensitive ones.”
The Netflix film concludes by recapping Anna’s trial, sentencing, and eventual release, before ending by visiting Derrick at his home in New Jersey, where he lives with his mother.
Regarding the director’s decision to show Derrick in the final scene, Louis said: ‘It was important to remind viewers who the central character of the film is and tune out all the other voices for a moment.
“The big picture is that you are healthy, safe, provided for, loved, but we also wonder how much more you might be able to do, how much more life could offer you if your circumstances were different.”
Louis has revealed that he came across the New Jersey story, which is based on the lives of Anna Stubblefield and Derrick Johnson, 10 years ago, but it was a “struggle” to get the film commissioned.
Professor Anna, then 39, met Derrick, then 28, in 2009 after his family hoped his expertise in “facilitated communication” could help their nearly mute son communicate using a keyboard.
Over the course of their meetings, Anna, who was married at the time, says the two fell in love and had a consensual sexual relationship, leaving her family horrified (Derek’s mother pictured).